DUBAI V. ISRAEL ON THE SOCCER PITCH

BRITAIN'S POPULAR ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB SIGNED A DEAL WITH ISRAEL TO PROMOTE TOURISM TO ISRAEL.  DUBAI OF THE UAE (WHICH BOYCOTTS ISRAEL AND ALMOST CONTROLLED THE U.S.'S EAST COAST PORTS) PAID ARSENAL BIG MONEY TO SPONSOR THEIR STADIUM.  

Dubai's War Against Israel (N.Y. Sun)

"A second contract between Arsenal football club and Israel is not likely to be signed if Emirates airline succeeds in convincing the club not to renew its sponsorship deal to promote Israel's tourism industry," the Khaleej Times reports. The paper reports that "an official spokesperson of the Emirates airline said the Arsenal-Israel tie-up is 'unfortunate and we are obviously not happy. We will do our best to persuade Arsenal to not renew its deal with Israel.'"

The paper reports that "news sources said the English football group has signed a two-year sponsorship deal, worth £350,000, to promote the Israeli tourism industry. The deal will allow the promotion of Israel on 450 high definition LCD billboards around the pitch at the Premiership club's new London-based Emirates Stadium, whose naming rights were bought by Emirates airlines for around £3 million a year."

This follows a report by the Jerusalem Post that the Dubai firm that wishes to take over American ports supports the Arab boycott of Israel.

Carol Gould writes in the Weekly Standard that "mainstream, well-funded British" Muslim and Anglo-Palestinian groups are targeting Arsenal Football Club for its ties with Israel. She asks "If the Emirates can take a hostile view on a business deal that reflects its core British customers (in this case the large Jewish/Israeli audience at Arsenal games) then how will it begin to influence the conduct of the American Port Authority?"